Rescued Elephants Billie and Frieda Share Some Zen Moments! (VIDEO)

The pachyderm residents of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee certainly are a lively bunch! At the end of last month, we were treated to the sight of BFFs Shirley and Misty sharing some quality time together. And now, two of their fellow residents, Billie and Frieda, have taken up yoga!

In the three-and-a-half minute video above, the girls can be seen stretching, limbering up, gently raising their trunks into the air, and (in the case of Billie) enjoying a relaxing mud bath.

Why have they decided to start up this yoga practice?

Elephant Sanctuary staff have explained, “As elephants age, they are susceptible to many of the same aches and pains in their feet and joints as humans. Elephants who’ve spent their lives in captivity have especially high instances of foot disease and problems afflicting their joints. Many of our (elephants) have come to their Sanctuary home with such problems, including Billie and Frieda. We think that Frieda’s bowing may feel like a nice stretch and also help her scratch the backside of her feet. Billie is often observed just sitting in her pond, a position that would be hard to achieve on land … and even harder to get up from.”

One thing is for sure: after the tragic situations these girls have lived through – Billie was captured in India in 1962, while Frieda was captured soon after her birth in 1966, and both remained in captivity until 2006 – a bit of zen time is exactly what the doctor ordered!

Image source: The Elephant Sanctuary